I left his house ’cos he was fond of beating me, inflicting wounds on me —Wife

Oja Oba/Mapo Court C Customary Court, Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State has dissolved the union between Latifat Afolabi and her husband, Muyideen Afolabi.

Latifat had approached the court with the aim of breaking up their seven-year-old marriage legally after being separated for three years.

The plaintiff gave irresponsibility, lack of care and battery as her reasons for her prayer of divorce.

Muyideen admitted to claim.

“My husband and I have been separated for three years because he’s irresponsible.  Our marriage is blessed with only a child but he finds it a task taking care of him.  He abandoned his duty as head of the home and never cared about our survival.

“We both contributed money in buying things for the home when we were newly married but he suddenly stopped doing this and left me to bear the burden of running the home alone.

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“I got a job with the civil service and got our kitchen fitted with cabinets. Rather than being appreciative of what I did, he got annoyed and accused me of not taking him along with the plan. He ended up beating me.

“He was fond of beating me and never got tired of doing this. Any time he beat me, he would not leave me until I bled.

“Our son once noticed the deep wound he inflicted on me and I cried all day. He also slapped our kid when he was four years old and this has affected his eardrum till date.

“My lord, it’s unfortunate that his parents have always been in his support and this has made matters worse, “she said.

“My lord, I carried out my responsibility to the best of my ability while we were together. But she kept our child away from me after she moved out of my house.

“I rented a shop for her and set her up in a business when she couldn’t get a job after leaving school.

“She later quit her business insisting that she wanted a white collar job which she eventually got. But before then, I was giving her feeding allowance and meeting her other needs.

“I noticed her attitude changed towards me few months into her job. She stopped eating with me and always returned home late from work.

“I called her attention to this but she refused to change. I went further to report to her mother but she took sides with her.

“It was a friend of mine who is an alfa that later informed me that my wife and her mum came to him; according to him, my wife wanted to marry another man who is one of her bosses and is rich. She requested that alfa helps her carry out some diabolic things which would make leaving me easy.

“She eventually  left three years ago, “he stated.

Ruling after listening to both parties, Mr Sulaiman Apampa, respresenting the court president, Ademola Odunade, declared their marriage dissolved.

He gave custody of their only child to the plaintiff while the defendant was asked to pay N4, 000 as his monthly feeding allowance.

Muyideen was also mandated to be responsible for his education and health care.